A new football season will bring plenty of expectations and questions, but not a new Uga, at least not at first.

The Bulldogs will enter the 2010 season without an Uga VIII, as Russ, the half-brother of the late Uga VII, will continue his mascot role. Russ took over for Uga VII for the last two games of the 2009 season – wins against Georgia Tech and Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl.

Sonny Seiler, owner of the Bulldog line which has served as the Georgia mascot for more than 50 years, told The Macon Telegraph there are several candidates for Uga VIII, but they are too young to be the mascot for Georgia’s first game of the season, which is Sept. 4 against Louisiana-Lafayette. Seiler also said Russ is too old to become the permanent mascot.

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In other football news, Jalen Fields, a member of the Bulldogs 2010 signing class, will not qualify academically. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Fields, a defensive end out of Dalton High School, may go to Georgia Military College.